The supremacy battle and war of words between Senator T. A Orji
popularly known as Ochendo and Chief Uche Akwukwaegbu (Bawas) the
traditional Prime Minister of Ibeku ancient Kingdom seems to be
gathering more steam instead of cooling off.
This recent outburst can be traced to the visit of Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu
which was at the instance of Chief Akwukwaegbu. During that visit, Abia
Facts Newspaper gathered that the traditional ruler of Ibeku ancient
Kingdom and his traditional Prime Minister apologized to Dr. Orji Uzor
Kalu for the betrayal of Sen. T. A Orji who they claimed was made
governor by Dr. Orji.
To clarify further, Abia Facts Newspaper had a media chat with Chief Akwukwaegbu and a lot was revealed. Chief Akwukwaegbu who granted the interview at his Umuahia Country
home, said Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu is a prominent Igbo man that enjoys the
support of the people whenever he shows up, “kalu has remained humble
and open minded over the years, but his successor in office Senator T. A
Orji is the person that cannot be trusted”.
He insisted that he decided to make up with Kalu just to clear his
conscience as a Christian, adding that the issue of pride does not in
any way come up in the political difference between Kalu and Orji.
He said, ” I invited Kalu to my house and I asked him to forgive me
because as a Knight in the church, I know that is the right thing to do
when you offend somebody.
” I felt I offended Kalu by backing Sen.Orji politically in 2007,
kalu granted all my request in the run up to the 2007 general election
in the state.
“I had asked him to give the gubernatorial ticket to Sen. T. A Orji
in the interest of my People against his Own choice of Chief Uzodinma
Okpara, Dr. Gershon Amuta and others.
“The meeting where I made a case for Chief Orji held at Sokoto State
in the house of former governor Attahiru Bafarawa, T. A Orji was not
there.
“Again when the former head of State Gen. Ibrahim Babangida visited
the state I was in the same bus with him, and Kalu, Chris Ukpabi and
Regan Ofumba, when the former head of State raised the Issue of who
would succeed Kalu as governor, Kalu threw the question back to me, and
mentioned Sen. Orji, and Gen. Babangida responded by asking why not
Reagan Ufomba, but Kalu said may be they should just respect my opinion
and Ufomba may be the deputy governor. Ufomba objected to that because
the two of them are from the same senatorial zone.
“So what can I say, the fact remains that Sen. Orji cannot be trusted in politics and otherwise”.
Akwukwaegbu also went ahead to dismissed the claim by Sen. Orji that he made him rich by giving him contracts.
According to him, “Sen T. A Orji’s claim that he made me rich is
false. He gave me contracts yes, but he did that to impoverish me the
more, not knowing that I have gone too far for him to make me poor .
“The contracts were given to me with evil motives, a contract which
he never paid me for, after spending my personal money he did not pay.
The government is owing me above N250 million as at when Sen. Orji’s
tenure expired. He did it to siphon me and frustrate me in life, it was
never done with good intentions, but he did not succeed.
“I am a notable business man, my businesses run across the shores of
Nigeria far back as 1985. I became an independent oil marketer since
year 2000, Chief Executive Officer of Geo james international S.A.R.L
Abidjan, France, which deals on importation of fabrics, before he was
made governor in 2007.
“Bawas oil Nigeria limited and Bawas investments have been in
business before he emerged Governor, these are are verifiable facts.
“I was already rich before he became Governor in 2007,I Was the one who coordinated his campaign when he was in prison.
“The Abia State government is Still owing me as we speak now, my debt
was among the money that was built into the debt that made the Federal
Government to release bail out fund to the State, yet they have not
finished paying me.
“It is only God who will judge T.A.Orji and me.
Source: Abia Facts News
